Just Like You
by Ali Nowac
Summary: Haytham comes home to a very eager four year old and a beautiful woman.


**A/N: This is a little AU I wrote a while ago. I just found it again and decided to throw it up. It's fluffy and cute and that's all I have to say about it other than please enjoy and if you like it, please take a look at the other things I've written. **

**I do not own ****_Assassin's Creed_**** or any of these characters.**

* * *

_**Just Like You**_

"_Rakeni__!_" The child who had been working diligently at Ziio's side abandoned all sense of duty and leaped to his feet, gleefully breaking into a run when the tall male walked into the village. Ziio dusted herself off, stood and watched as their son, now four, threw himself into his father's arms, hardly giving the man time to dismount from his brown gelding. Ziio felt her lips curve in a small smile as Haytham Kenway hefted little Connor into the air, chuckling.

"Hello, little man," greeted Haytham, having the decency to keep a smile on his face as his small son stole the hat right off his head and plopped it onto his own. Being several sizes too large, the hat dipped and covered Connor's entire face. Haytham shook his head, putting the laughing child on his shoulders.

The boy's voice was muffled as he struggled to pry his father's hat from his face: "Do you have any stories, papa?" Haytham smirked, setting the child on the ground and lifting the hat off. Connor grabbed the edges and held it to the top of his head, looking expectantly up at his father with his big brown eyes.

"Later," promised the older, reclaiming his hat and adjusting it on his head. "Go play, we will talk later." He made a shooing motion and the little boy made a run for the group of his friends who were conjugated to the right side of the village. Haytham turned and walked to Ziio. He looped his arm around her and pulled her to him, leaning down and kissing her before she had a chance to object. Her hand slipped up and caught his collar, the other sliding up to cup his cheek. She'd missed this terribly and hardly cared that the village saw. She was not ashamed to be kissing the man before her.

When they broke apart, Ziio was slightly breathless, her forehead against Haytham's. Her eyes were gently closed and a small smile curved her lips. "Hello," she greeted softly, and she felt his lips brush her cheek. He returned her greeting in the same soft voice and she opened her eyes to find him watching her. She pulled a face. "What is it?"

"I've missed you," he returned, cupping her cheek with his strong hand, stroking his thumb across her face.

She leaned faintly into his caress. "I missed you too," she told him, "so has your son," she reminded him. "He talks constantly of you, Haytham. You said you learned at a young age, perhaps it is time you taught him?"

Haytham nodded. "He will have to learn eventually, it might as well start now." She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, telling him to go. He nodded once again, stole another kiss from her and went to collect his son. He walked past the group of children and beaconed. Connor leaped up and raced over, falling into step beside his father.

The older of the pair led the smaller into the woods, without speaking. He could tell his son was bursting with excitement and wanted to say something - _anything_ \- but he followed his father's example and said nothing. _Good_, thought Haytham, _he's a quick learner_.

Haytham beaconed him up a fallen tree, deftly leaping onto a platform in one of the trees used for hunting. He turned to watch his son follow, his feet sure and his face set in confidence. He took the leap and landed on his feet beside his father, looking up with a grin. Haytham patted his head and took a seat, patting the wood beside him.

Connor plopped down and swung his feet. Finally, he lost the battle with silence and piped: "What are we doing, papa? Are you going to teach me to be like you?" He could hardly contain himself at the thought of 'being like his father' and his little body squirmed with excitement.

Haytham chuckled and gave a single nod. "Yes, now hush and listen." The boy clamped his mouth shut and watched with excited eyes as his father pulled a pendant from around his neck. He placed it in his son's hand and pointed out the symbol that hung from the thread. To Connor it looked a like a red plus symbol. The child frowned and looked up. "This, son," said Haytham, "is a symbol of the Templars. We are an Order devoted to bringing order and direction to the world. One day, you will wear a pendant similar to this. For now, you will watch and learn from myself and perhaps others when you're ready."

"I want to be just like you!" blurted Connor, eyes widening as he put a small hand over his mouth, his eyes apologetic.

Haytham didn't answer for a minute, his expression turning sober after the amusement of the kid's reaction had faded. He looked down at the amulet in his hands. There had been a time when he would have opposed the Templars' order but with Ziio and Connor to worry about he knew that they were the only ones who could help him keep his family safe. He sighed and shook his head, glancing at his son with the ghost of a smile. "No you don't, son," he ruffled the small child's black hair, "no you don't." He looked back out into the woods as Connor scooted close and leaned against his father's side.

"Why can't I be?" he pouted.

Haytham pinched the bridge of his nose. "I have done bad things, Connor," he replied. "You will be you, and no one else."

Connor looked uncertain but nodded and after a moment brightened and said: "I found an eagle's nest the other day. I saved the feathers, do you want to see them?" He grinned innocently and Haytham nodded, waving a hand and telling him to lead the way. Connor grinned and hopped back down the way they'd come, excitedly waving for his father to follow.

Connor led him back to he and Ziio's long house in the village, digging under his bed. He pulled out the two long eagle feather's he'd found. He thrust them at his father, proudly. Then he gasped. He stole one back and leaped up onto his bed, grabbing his father's hat and sticking the feather into it. He grinned broadly and plopped it back onto his father's head. "There!" He proclaimed, sitting on his bed, looking up at his creation proudly. "Now, you look like us!" Connor himself had two small feathers braided into his hair.

Haytham took his hat off and looked at the feather. He smiled at his son. "So I do," he replied, returning his hat to it's place. "So I do." He handed the other feather back to his son and Connor raced away with it. When he came back he was pulling his mother, who now had another feather in her hair: the eagle feather.

The little boy grinned, looking between his parents. "You both have feathers now," he said, obviously proud. Ziio smiled and kneeled in front of her son. She kissed his cheek and thanked him in her native tongue. She said something else and Connor scampered off. She turned to Haytham. "You have something to remember us by now," she said, standing.

Haytham nodded, then looked at his pendant. He took it off and handed it to Ziio. "I'll always come back for you," he promised.

And he did.


End file.
